How does funding work for different skaters/countries?

[concorde]

There are no real sponsorships in USA for training costs unless you are top 5 at Nationals or junior nationals. It comes from endorsements from skating sponsors

I think its 6th and higher. Either way I don't think it is alot of money.

 

[stormpiper]

In Ireland, you don't get any funding. But you don't get any ice rinks either so...

They train on inlines mostly.

 

[Andrea82]

In Italy the top skaters are enrolled in the sport bodies of some army corps in order to get a monthly salary from the state.
That's the case of Kostner (prison guard), Rodeghiero (air force), Rizzo (prison guard), Della Monica (police), Guarise (police), Marchei (air force), Hotarek (prison guard), Guignard (prison guard), Fabbri (prison guard), Cappellini (prison guard), Lanotte (prison guard). After retirement from competitive skating, they can stay in the army and schift to regular service if they wish (that's what Federica Failla did) or resign.

The same system (the "sport soldiers") is used in Germany and Austria.

 

[DSQ]

In Ireland, you don't get any funding. But you don't get any ice rinks either so...

They train on inlines mostly.

(Or in Scotland! xD)

Well they are reopening a rink near Dublin soon! So things are a changing.

 

[Edwin]

I don't think any ice rink can live off figure skating alone. The building itself, refrigeration, surfacing, catering, cleaning, security, staffing at the entrance, the cafe, etc. this all adds up to a huge sum relative to the actual use made of the facilities. Most municipal rinks are a financial millstone round the neck of the local community sustaining them
You either needs a full complement of ice hockey teams in all age groups and/or short track teams to bring in the money. IH isn't the cheapest sport either, but the money it generates could be used to cover the losses of FS.
Or you need lots and lots of incidental recreational skaters that rent their skates, drink and eat some in the cafe while generally having a nice couple of hours out on the ice in a nice and comfy atmosphere with music and colourful lights etc etc.

Both ice hockey and the fun skaters leave the figure skaters no choice but to train at the 'dog hours', either very early, or very late, when the commercial users have left.
And this in turn puts a burden on parents or relatives having to drive the kids to their lessons and back before or after school.
Only when special provisions can be made with the local school board and by legal exemption, kids can perhaps train in FS during school hours, when the rink would otherwise be empty.

 

[alexaa]

A little off-topic - since Beverly trains in the US, does China still provide her with full funding? I assumed full funding meant training in China. So I’m just curious if China has taken over all of the expenses for their recruited skaters abroad or not.

No, the program is overseas with foreign coaches.

The last two paragraphs

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1120891.shtml

The program will mainly recruit top Chinese athletes from abroad and get trained overseas, the Beijing News quoted Chen as saying. The training team will also be joined by five foreign coaches.

And this article

https://www.jqknews.com/news/73161-...g_national_team_coach_offshore_mode_2022.html

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

In Ireland, you don't get any funding. But you don't get any ice rinks either so...

They train on inlines mostly.

(Or in Scotland! xD)

Well they are reopening a rink near Dublin soon! So things are a changing.

Dundalk is actually exactly halfway between Belfast and Dublin (52.5 miles to each). So, I personally wouldn't say it was "near Dublin".

But, regardless of the symantics, it's still far better than having to travel 105 miles to get ice time.

It is just ridiculous that a capital city in the cold part of Europe doesn't have a permanent ice rink. But, as you say, things are changing. The powers that be are starting to realise that there is a demand.

Hopefully the powers that be in other parts of the island (i.e. other than places on the east coast) will soon realise the same.

And, getting back to the topic, hopefully that will breed success, and hence attract funding. Like, look at the Women's Hockey Team. They got to the Final of the World Cup last year with little funding, and no sooner were they home than the Irish government announced a pile of funding.

The difference to ice skating, of course, is that hockey is taught at schools. So, it is not a fair comparison. But, it does highlight the point that in these islands, you have to be winning medals to get funding.

CaroLiza_fan